This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-us-canada-15267260
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mitt Romney wins Chris Christie's endorsement | Mitt Romney wins Chris Christie's endorsement |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination. | New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination. |
| Mr Christie announced his support at an event in New Hampshire, where Mr Romney is preparing for a debate with rivals. | Mr Christie announced his support at an event in New Hampshire, where Mr Romney is preparing for a debate with rivals. |
| His support was in high demand after he announced last week that he would not be running. | |
| Mr Romney is 18 points ahead with Republican voters in New Hampshire, according to a poll released on Monday. | Mr Romney is 18 points ahead with Republican voters in New Hampshire, according to a poll released on Monday. |
| The New Jersey governor was flanked by Mr Romney as he praised his experience as a businessman and elected leader. | |
| "I believe he's the best person to articulate Republican values and defeat Barack Obama," Mr Christie said. | |
| Correspondents say the financial backers who had been poised to help fund a Christie White House campaign will now funnel their money to Mr Romney. | |
| One of Mr Christie's top donors, Home Depot financier Ken Langone, has already announced he would back Mr Romney, reports the Associated Press news agency. | |
| Mr Romney also took the opportunity to call on Mr Perry to "repudiate" the comments of a Texan evangelical pastor, Robert Jeffress, who introduced Mr Perry at a social conservatives' conference in Washington DC. | |
| Mr Jeffress described Mormonism, Mr Romney's religion, as a "cult". | |
| The former governor's newest supporter criticised the Perry campaign over the comment. | |
| "These type of religious matters have nothing to do with the quality of somebody's ability to lead," Mr Christie said in response to a reporter's question. | |
| "Any campaign that associates itself with that type of conduct is beneath the office of president of the United States." | |
| A Perry campaign spokesman later told the Associated Press that the Texas governor would not disavow Mr Jeffress, although he "disagreed" with the pastor's view. | |
| Economy only | |
| Elected governor in 2009, Mr Christie has a reputation as a tough-talking, fiscally conservative governor. | Elected governor in 2009, Mr Christie has a reputation as a tough-talking, fiscally conservative governor. |
| While he and Mr Romney are viewed as different in temperament, they share at least one political connection. | |
| Russ Schriefer, one of Mr Romney's media consultants, helped to run Mr Christie's campaign for governor in 2009, the New York Times reports. | Russ Schriefer, one of Mr Romney's media consultants, helped to run Mr Christie's campaign for governor in 2009, the New York Times reports. |
| Mr Romney will join Texas Governor Rick Perry, seen as his main rival for the nomination, at a debate in Hanover, New Hampshire, on Tuesday evening. | |
| The televised debate, sponsored by Bloomberg News and the Washington Post, will focus entirely on the economy. | |
| This debate is seen as a crucial test for Mr Perry, who is under criticism from conservative Republicans for his stances on his HPV vaccinations and in-state tuition for immigrants who entered the state illegally. | |
| Businessman Hermain Cain has attracted more attention as his polling numbers have risen in recent weeks. |